The objective of the epidemiologic research is to establish the prevalence of dental fear and the effects of fear on oral health. We also propose to update and extend our knowledge of the epidemiology of other common fears and to explore the association between these fears and dental fear. One thousand households will be selected from telephone directories and interviewed by phone or by mail to establish the prevalence of fears in the Seattle-Everett SMSA. One hundred individuals who express varying levels of dental fear will be examined at home to determine their oral health status. This research will serve in obtaining reliable statistics on the extent of this important public health problem, assist in the interpretation of treatment studies and help to identify ways to get fearful individuals to seek treatment.